Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Just three months after launch, the European Space Agency’s twin HydroGNSS satellites are already proving their capabilities in orbit. By exploiting reflected signals from navigation satellites – the sophisticated technique they use to generate Delay Doppler Maps in order to ‘scout’ for water across Earth’s surface – these compact satellites are beginning to reveal the scientific potential they were built to unlock, even while still in their commissioning phase.
The video shows recent tracks from HydroGNSS-2 developing over France, the Mediterranean Sea and North Africa with orange and red sections indicating stronger reflections. On the right are shown the instantaneous Delay Doppler Maps at dual polarisation and dual frequency at each second for each reflection. Then HydroGNSS-1 tracks are shown over Tanzania to Malawi with the corresponding maps highlighting rivers and lakes.
Read full story: https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/FutureEO/HydroGNSS/ESA_s_HydroGNSS_on_track_to_scout_for_water
Credits: ESA/SSTL
Access the video on the ESA video library: https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos/2026/03/HydroGNSS_generates_first_Delay_Doppler_Maps
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Our main YouTube channel: youtube.com/@EuropeanSpaceAgency
We are Europe's gateway to space. Our mission is to shape the development of Europe's space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world. Check out https://www.esa.int/ to get up to speed on everything space related.
Copyright information about our videos is available here: https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Terms_and_Conditions
Just three months after launch, the European Space Agency’s twin HydroGNSS satellites are already proving their capabilities in orbit. By exploiting reflected signals from navigation satellites – the sophisticated technique they use to generate Delay Doppler Maps in order to ‘scout’ for water across Earth’s surface – these compact satellites are beginning to reveal the scientific potential they were built to unlock, even while still in their commissioning phase.
The video shows recent tracks from HydroGNSS-2 developing over France, the Mediterranean Sea and North Africa with orange and red sections indicating stronger reflections. On the right are shown the instantaneous Delay Doppler Maps at dual polarisation and dual frequency at each second for each reflection. Then HydroGNSS-1 tracks are shown over Tanzania to Malawi with the corresponding maps highlighting rivers and lakes.
Read full story: https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/FutureEO/HydroGNSS/ESA_s_HydroGNSS_on_track_to_scout_for_water
Credits: ESA/SSTL
Access the video on the ESA video library: https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos/2026/03/HydroGNSS_generates_first_Delay_Doppler_Maps
★ Subscribe: bit.ly/ESAsubscribe and click twice on the bell button to receive our notifications.
Our main YouTube channel: youtube.com/@EuropeanSpaceAgency
We are Europe's gateway to space. Our mission is to shape the development of Europe's space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world. Check out https://www.esa.int/ to get up to speed on everything space related.
Copyright information about our videos is available here: https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Terms_and_Conditions
